


It's Green and Bitter

by jczala



Series: Deeply and Irrevocably [4]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Insecurities, Instagram, Jealousy, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Social Media, jealous!Akashi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-12
Updated: 2018-04-12
Packaged: 2019-04-21 21:27:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14293815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jczala/pseuds/jczala
Summary: Akashi had always thought they looked happy together and felt comfortable with each other. He knew he shouldn't be thinking otherwise. He knew there was no hidden implications. But he couldn't just let it go. It had never bothered him before.Then again, he'd never felt this insecure before.





	It's Green and Bitter

**Author's Note:**

> [4/12] HAPPY AKAFURI DAY, EVERYONE! Would you believe that I actually finished this when I was on vacation? I put a lot of thought into this one. And NO, this isn't about green tea XD just because of the title. Since I already wrote about Mayuzumi, I wanted to include more of Kuroko this time. For the 4th installment of this series, let's pick Akashi's brain and witness how he'll handle his feelings.

Recently at one of their practice sessions, Akashi overheard two teammates telling each other they were jealous of the things their friends posted on Instagram. One player's family owned a Japanese Inn and the other one’s family owned a well-off sushi restaurant, and they expressed how much they envied their travel-blogger senior who had graduated a year ago. Both of them actually are living a good life. But they were jealous of the things their senior has. 

Social media works that way. Mibuchi had been so delighted to explain it to him one time. Just imagine you sitting on your couch, enjoying a sandwich for dinner, watching a boring documentary, when you see a friend on Instagram having an amazing dinner in a fancy restaurant with a beautiful date. Or when a classmate posts a selfie of himself showing off his rockhard abs and muscles? You see others experiencing the vacation of a lifetime, while you’re stuck at home doing chores for the whole summer break. And a lot of people just loved to show and tell their new stuff, especially the expensive kind. 

No wonder a lot of people often feel so dissatisfied. No matter how much they hate, it can’t compare to what others appear to have. Social media was just funny like that. 

As for Akashi Seijuro, he wasn’t really into social media. He didn’t even have a Facebook or a Twitter account. He wasn’t generally fond of the idea of letting everyone know what he was having for dinner or where he was going. Those things were odd, and Akashi couldn’t think of anything he’d rather do less than have to continuously share details of his everyday life. 

Companies, big or small, use Social Media to their advantage, and Akashi has seen how it worked for the benefit of their company. 

But for personal use? Well, he’d rather that people had less access to his personal life. 

Though he had LINE and Skype, it was mainly used for private chats and calls. His list of contacts only contained a few important people, which included his father, the Generation of Miracles, his coaches, the Rakuzan Team, and of course, Furihata Kouki. 

His long-distance relationship with Furihata was hard, but they loved each other and made it work by maintaining communication. They spoke every day, greet each other in the morning and bid each other good night before going to bed. On their days off, they would talk for hours, and sometimes Furihata would fall asleep mid conversation. Skype Video Chat was also very convenient.  

Distance has not only made their hearts grow fonder, it also helped each discover what they really need in each other. Every time they meet and touch the feeling it produces is just amazing. 

Furihata wasn’t into social media either, but he did have Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram mainly because his friends also had them. He uses it mainly just to catch up on things and to maintain rapport with friends. He would post and share some pictures from time to time—mostly about Seirin, basketball stuff, funny videos—but he had never shared anything too personal.  Furihata was pretty private himself. 

Two of his regular members, Mibuchi and Hayama, had been following Furihata on social media ever since Mibuchi found out Akashi’s feelings for him. Because of that, they pretty much update Akashi on whatever there was on about Furihata. 

Today was no exception. This time, however, brought out a tangle of thoughts and emotions from Akashi.  

“Reo-nee! Reo-nee!” came a bouncing ball of energy by the name of Hayama Kotarou. His steps quickly ate up the distance from the entrance of the gym to Mibuchi, who was lounging at one corner. With a cellphone in hand, he almost practically shoved the thing in Mibuchi’s face. “Lookie! Lookie!” 

Mibuchi almost stumbled back. “Kotarou! You almost hit me with that!” My god, what if he hit his beautiful face? He shrugged, narrowing his face on the phone. “What on earth are you trying to show me anyway?” 

“Izuki posted something really interesting on Instagram! Look!” Hayama beamed, showing off the picture properly at a respectable distance this time. 

Mibuchi blinked. “Oh, my…” He couldn’t help but squeal a bit. 

The picture had interesting hashtags: #relationshipgoals #cutecoupleasleep, #donotdisturb, #tiredfromtraining, #onthewayback, and #librarycouple. 

“They look so cute together; I could just poke their cheeks! But…” Mibuchi immediately realized that this may pose a bit of a problem if Akashi were to see this. He had become observant enough of Akashi and instinctive about what made him tick. “It’s a good thing Sei-chan has no Instagram or else—”

“Hey, Akashi, look at this!” 

Flinching in surprise, Mibuchi whipped his head towards Hayama. One minute Hayama was in front of him, the next to the entrance where Akashi had just entered. “That idiot!” he grumbled. Mibuchi wanted to throw a basketball right at Hayama’s head, but decided against it and trudged over to them.  

“Aren’t they cute?!” Hayama said cheerfully, showing the picture on the screen. 

Hayama’s abrupt manner came as no surprise, but the picture on the screen did. Akashi stared blankly, his brilliant mind unconsciously engraving the picture in his memory.

Mibuchi almost hesitated. “Sei-chan, they must have been so exhausted from their training in the mountains. You know how Riko-chan is with her training modules,” he explained, his voice light and controlled. “Those two probably have no idea how they ended up like that, and Izuki-chan couldn't pass this chance to tease them.” He giggled to ease up. 

“The hashtags are quite amusing,” Akashi said, smiling at Mibuchi. 

Something tingled down Mibuchi’s spine. Others may find it normal, but Mibuchi could see that Akashi’s polite smile didn’t even reach his deep red eyes, which were a bit cold. 

“Let us resume practice, shall we?” Akashi’s smile didn’t falter one bit, and Mibuchi was getting a bad feeling already. “And I would like to add 10 more sets to the regular menu for the rest of this session.” 

Hayama’s face fell. “10 more sets?! You’ve gotta be kidding me! That’s he—” 

“Are you defying me, Hayama-senpai?” Akashi was still smiling, and there was something intimidating by his way of calling Hayama ‘senpai’. He never really attached the honorific ‘senpai’ to any of the  _Uncrowned Kings_ before, so Hayama was quite spooked. “Now then, if you’ll excuse me…” 

As Akashi was a good ten feet away, Mibuchi smacked Hayama in the head. 

“Ouch! Reo-nee, what was that for?!” Hayama complained, rubbing the sore part of his head. 

“This is your fault, you know.” 

00000

Adorable. 

That was how one would describe the image Akashi just saw on Hayama's phone. It was a close-up picture of his beloved and his ex-teammate that had been secretly taken inside a bus, just a few hours before. Furihata's head was resting on Kuroko's shoulder, and Kuroko's right cheek brushed slightly against Furihata's brown locks, which looked soft to touch. Despite the obvious exhaustion from harsh training, the two of them looked so much at peace that it looked so natural and beautiful...

...Almost like a couple. 

He felt his heart plummet as he leaned back against the wall. He was on his way to the coach's office when he let his thoughts distract him. His shoulders sagged, his eyes down casted, as a sigh escaped his lips. 

Kuroko and Furihata were good friends. They were both in the same basketball team and library committee. They always supported each other and never once had doubted each other's complete honesty. They had grown very close, united by a love for basketball, books, and a cute dog. Kuroko had even taken care of Furihata when he got sick.

But seeing that picture made Akashi's stomach curl up in the strangest way. 

A way he'd never felt before. 

Akashi loved Furihata with all his heart, and those strong feelings were mutual, as Furihata loved him back just as much. Their relationship had progressed smoothly. The past months before with Furihata had passed without incident, except for a growing affection and solidarity. 

As for Kuroko, he was an ex-teammate, who may seem a little odd and enigmatic, but he was a trustworthy and dependable friend. Akashi has high respects for Kuroko's skill and had valued his view and opinions on things. 

But there were times Akashi would feel strangely uncomfortable of the relationship between Kuroko and Furihata. 

He looked at the sky thoughtfully with a half-conscious feeling of insecurity puzzling to himself.  He knew that he should not let this affect him, but still he felt was an ache in his heart. 

His mobile phone rang, snapping him out of his stupor. He checked the caller ID and his heart skipped a beat when he saw Furihata's name pop up. He hit the answer button and held his breath as he placed the phone against his ear. 

" _Hello?_ _Sei_ _?_ " Furihata said, and the sound of him saying his nickname made Akashi smile. 

"Hello, Kouki." 

" _Hm_ _?_ _You sound tired. Is everything_ _okay?"_ Furihata's voice sank a little. " _You're not overexerting yourself, are you? Don't you dare lie or else I'll ask Reo-nee._ " 

Akashi's heart swelled in his chest. He loved that about Furihata, loved that he was so aware of him, caring more of his wellbeing than he did for his own. "I am perfectly fine, Kouki, so please don't worry," he assured him. 

A brief silence then, " _Okay, I'll take your word for it,_ _Sei_ _._ " His immediate concern was understandable, given the fact that overexertion was more or less Akashi's automatic mode of functioning at times. 

"Have you just arrived home?" Akashi asked, hearing the sound of a door opening. 

" _Actually... That's Kuroko coming into the room._ " 

Suddenly Akashi felt uneasy and didn't like feeling this way at all. But he kept composure as he spoke. "Oh? Pray tell, why is Kuroko there with you at this very moment?" 

" _Sleepover!_ " Furihata replied excitedly. " _Kagami_ _invited us to stay for the night since Kuroko and I are too tired to trek back home._ " 

_"Or you could say we were just being lazy..."_ It was Kuroko who spoke in a soft yet audible enough voice for the words to be heard over the line. 

Something burned in Akashi's chest like acid in his stomach. 

Furihata lightly chuckled. " _Besides, who wouldn't want to have dinner at_ _Kagami's_ _? The guy can seriously cook! Good thing he has a spare room for me and Kuroko to use._ "

Akashi immediately disliked the idea of Furihata and Kuroko sleeping in the same room together, even though he knew there were no deep implications over their arrangement. But it was like seeing them sleeping against each other on the bus all over again. It was vexing. 

"That is quite convenient," Akashi said in his usual tone, completely hiding the ramblings building up in his chest. "Now while sleepovers are fun, I implore you not to stay up late and actually sleep. You have just gotten back from intense training and I'd prefer if you rest properly." 

" _No worries,_ _Sei_ _. Pretty sure I'll be sleeping like a log later."_

Akashi then heard Kagami calling for them from a distance. 

" _Oh, I_ _gotta_ _go,_ _Sei_ _._ _Kagami's_ _asking us to lend him a hand with stuff._ " 

"I understand. I'll see you tomorrow then." 

" _Yeah! I can't wait to see you! Bye for now,_ _Sei_ _!_ " 

The call ended, leaving Akashi's mind shrouded with doubts. He stared down on the floor, dropping his arm to his side while still clutching his phone. He kept reminding himself that Kuroko and Furihata were just friends. He shouldn't be this uneasy about their closeness. He should feel at peace that Furihata was not with some other person. 

Later that night, however, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find that peace. 

00000

A cellphone was ringing. 

Kagami Taiga forced one eyelid upward and peered around the dimmed room. His bedroom, he saw, managing to make shape of his desk and shelves by the sliver of light coming through the curtains. 

The excessive ringing was definitely not his alarm. He didn't even set an alarm last night. No, this ringing was a ringtone—someone was calling him. He glanced at the clock and saw that it was already 9:14 AM. Good thing there was no practice today. He could use the rest and relaxation. His muscles were still a little sore. 

Muttering some curses under his breath and giving his head a shake, Kagami got to his feet and stumbled across the room. He snatched up his cellphone from the desk and growled, "What?!" 

" _Taiga-_ _chan_ _? Sorry_ _for the sudden call_ _._ " 

Kagami paused and checked the caller ID. It was an unknown number, but he recognized the voice. He placed the phone back on his ear and said, "Mibuchi...san?" He almost bit his tongue for forgetting to add the honorific. After all, even though he was on a rival team, Mibuchi was still older than him. "How did you even get my number?"

" _I have my ways. And it s_ _ounds like you just woke up."_

"Um, yeah." Kagami scrubbed his hand over his face, sinking down on his bed. 

" _I apologize for waking you up, but I simply couldn't call any later than this. He's on his way_ _. In fact, his train was scheduled to arrive in Tokyo twenty minutes ago._ " Mibuchi sounded a bit worried. 

"Is that so?" Kagami murmured, stifling a yawn, then frowned as he realized what Mibuchi had said. "Wait, what? Who's on—" He paused and glanced toward the door as the doorbell sounded. Sighing, he stood and headed out of the bedroom, taking the cellphone with him. "Hang on. There's someone at the door." 

Mibuchi let out a sigh into the phone. " _Don't get too surprised when you see him_ ," he said as Kagami opened the front door. 

"Why would I..." Kagami's response cut short, his gaze running over the person before him. Red hair, a shade unlike his, crowned the man's head. While Kagami was a great behemoth who stood well over six feet, the person was of average height. He was dressed in a white long-sleeved collared shirt underneath a black v-neck cardigan which hugged his narrow frame, along with ash-blue denim jeans. 

"Good morning, Kagami," the person greeted with a cordial smile. "I apologize for my sudden visit today. Actually I had planned on meeting Kouki in the afternoon, but there has been a change of plans." 

Rather than greeting back, Kagami pushed the door closed and lifted the phone back to his ear as he turned away. "WHY IS AKASHI HERE?!" he spat in a hushed tone. 

" _Did you just slam the door in_ _Sei-chan's_ _face?_ " Mibuchi asked with amazement. " _Quite rude of you, Taiga-chan."_

"Don't call me Taiga-chan!" Kagami said impatiently, keeping his voice low. "Now I'm seriously awake. What the hell is Akashi Seijuro doing at my doorstep?" 

" _Well,_ _that's_ _a_ _funny thing really."_ Mibuchi gave a nervous laugh.  _"For a guy that's so on top of things,_ _Sei-chan_ _can be a bit dense when it comes to his own feelings."_

"His feelings?" 

_"I believe he's jealous of Kuroko-_ _chan_ _and he doesn't even realize it._ _"_ Mibuchi giggled like a sweet maiden. "N _ow, be a dear and open the goddamned door for him._ " 

"Wait, what you just said now... Why would he—"

" _I'm hanging up, bye!_ " Mibuchi hung up. 

Kagami scowled at the phone and almost dialed him back, but then thought better of it and returned to the door. When he opened the door, he was greeted by a dissatisfied look on Akashi's face. "Er, um, sorry about that. Really didn't expect you to pop up at my place." 

"It certainly isn't the warmest reception I had," Akashi said, his voice deep and regal. He noticed the expression on Kagami's face. The taller man looked staggered. Honestly, Akashi was only here to see Furihata, but this guy decided to slam the door in his face. Akashi was used to hotheaded guys like Kagami. It annoyed him sometimes, but he could deal with it. However, he'd be damned if he was going to put up with rude behaviors. "Well, aren't you going to let me in?" he asked, smiling politely. 

"Uh, right," Kagami muttered as he stepped aside. Gaining his composure, he led Akashi to the living room and pointing he invited him to sit on the couch. "I'll go get Furi so wait a sec." He passed by the kitchen counter, intending to head to where the rooms were, when he saw a note on the counter top. 

_Gone to convenience store to buy_ _ingredients_ _. - Kuroko & _ _Furi_

"Oh, yeah, I did ask them last night to do that...." Kagami turned back to Akashi. "Seems like he's out shopping with Kuroko. They'll be back soon."

"I see... I'll wait then."  

The tight smile Akashi gave him and the fleeting, pained expression that crossed his pale face—an expression he hid quickly—made Kagami wonder if this had anything to do with what Mibuchi said. He'd have to ask Kuroko later about this.

The growing silence felt awkward, so Kagami asked him, "Er... So, uh, you want tea? Water?"

"Thank you for the offer, but I'm fine." 

"If you say so..." Kagami said, scratching the back of his head. "Um, I'll go wash up a bit. I did just wake up and all. Is it okay if I leave you alone?" 

"Sure, it's no problem." 

As Kagami walked away, all he could think about how awkward it was to be around Akashi. When they weren't on the basketball court, he really didn't know what to say to him. He knew he had to at least make a conversation, but he didn't know where to start. 

00000

Instagram was a mistake. 

Sparked by curiosity, triggered by insecurity, Akashi took the liberty of checking out Furihata's Instagram account and mutual followers last night. Certainly, the account was filled with different pictures of food, animals and basketball, but mostly about photos of Furihata with the Seirin Team and occasionally his family. The other members of the team had several pictures with Furihata in them as well, and there were absolutely adorable ones of Furihata and Nigou together. 

When he saw Furihata's photo with Nigou, it wasn't only the cuteness he admired but a tenderness in Furihata, which conveyed itself through the image. He had a wonderful smile and a bright expression, and Akashi felt he could look at it for hours without ever growing tired of it. 

But the people in the photos—Furihata's team, his family, his classmates—get to experience being with Furihata physically almost every day. They get to see him day by day, especially Kuroko since he was also on the library committee, and this bothered him to a great degree. 

He'd seen images of Kuroko and Furihata together—friendly, funny, and sometimes ridiculous pictures—but there were some where they were too close together. He had always thought Kuroko and Furihata looked happy together and felt comfortable with each other. He knew he shouldn't be thinking otherwise. He knew there was no hidden implications. But he couldn't just let it go. It had never bothered him before. Then again, he'd never felt this insecure before. 

Thinking all this, he realized he felt separate and distant. 

"We're back!" 

Furihata's voice, which came from the entrance, warmed him. He perked up and stood with every intention of meeting him halfway in the hall when—

"Ruff-ruff!" 

"Nigou, please wait... Ah—!"

"Woah, N-Nigou!" 

"Furihata-kun!" 

"Ruff!" 

THUD!

Akashi paused, then hastened his steps, hearing a ripple of laughter as he grew nearer. And when he got there what he saw made his heart sink to the depths of his being. Kuroko had his rear on the floor, one hand on the curve of Furihata's back. In between his legs was Furihata himself, who was on his knees, his one hand glued to the front of Kuroko's shirt while the other was planted firmly on the floor for balance. 

Laughter had bloomed from them—a beautiful, cheerful sound—accompanied by the energetic bark of their dog companion who looked at them from the side. Plastic bags were scattered on the floor with the contents still intact inside. What led them to such an intimate position was probably due to the playfulness of the dog and some ditzy spells, which Furihata was prone to. 

He clenched his fists, looking away. The awful feeling filled him from the pit of his stomach up to his head. He disliked—hated—how close they were. He hated how comfortable Furihata was with Kuroko. He hated seeing such intimacy between them. 

Then their laughter ceased. 

"Okay, let me get our stuff," Furihata said, removing himself from Kuroko and reaching out for the discarded plastic bags.

"Akashi-kun?" 

Red eyes met stunning blue ones. Kuroko saw something. He was sharp.  

A smile grew immediately on Furihata's face. "Sei!" He bounced toward him to give him a quick hug. "I'm so happy to see you!" He ended the hug and held him in arm's length. "I thought we weren't going to meet until later. You should have told me you were coming." 

"I wanted to surprise you," Akashi replied, forcing a smile on his face.  

"Well, I'm definitely surprised." 

"Before anything else, are you all right? I heard a loud sound, then I saw you two on the floor. What happened?" 

Kuroko raised a brow. There was a bit of a strain in Akashi's voice. He was disturbed, but he covered it well, so well that Kuroko doubted Furihata could see past his mask. 

Furihata sighed. "Nigou happened." 

The little dog followed up with a bark in acknowledgment. 

"He made me trip and fell on top of Kuroko." Furihata chuckled. "I'm a big klutz, so..." 

"I couldn't take the weight so I went down with Furihata-kun," Kuroko added in an as-a-matter-of-factly tone. 

"Sorry about that, Kuroko."

"I see." Akashi answered impassively, refusing to make eye contact with Kuroko. 

"Akashi-kun..." Kuroko wanted to question his rather unusual behavior but decided against it. "Would you like to join us for brunch?" 

"You should, Sei, since Kagami's cooking!" Furihata beamed at Akashi. "And I'll be helping him out!"

"Well, if you insist, Kouki," Akashi replied, his heart feeling a bit lighter upon seeing such a nice smile on Furihata's face. 

00000

An hour and a half later, Akashi was more uneasy as ever. 

Although the delicious cheesy bacon and egg hash brunch had been satisfying, Akashi still couldn't sort his way through the storm of emotions bubbling inside him. He'd assumed that he'll be fine as long as Furihata was close to him. But over the course of their meal, the three Seirin teammates who had been happily chatting about their experiences in their 'Training camp from Hell' had made Akashi feel left out. 

With brunch now over, he looked over at the kitchen from his position on the couch and was rewarded with a view of Furihata and Kuroko. While Kagami was taking a call from his mentor in another room, the two were washing and drying the dishes and the cooking utensils. Furihata was chatting with Kuroko, but then Kuroko reached out and slightly brushed his finger against Furihata's cheek. Akashi was trying to convince himself that Kuroko had just wiped off some soapy foam that latched onto Furihata's face, but his ego flared, bringing his temper close to the surface. 

Akashi decided to venture out onto the balcony, trying to dowse his emotions before he'd end up cutting something or someone. The more he thought about it, the more confused he felt. He was hurt, he was angry, but mostly he wanted to pull Furihata away and push Kuroko back. He hated feeling this way. He wanted to stop feeling like this. 

"Akashi-kun, may I have a word with you?" 

Akashi's eyes widened, but he held back a flinch. Kuroko always had the knack of appearing out of nowhere when people least expect him. Only a handful of people can sense his rather weak presence. Schooling his features, he turned to Kuroko, meeting his blue gaze directly. "Where's Kouki?" He couldn't seem to force himself to smile. 

"He went to get ready for your date."

"All right, so what is it that you wish to talk about?" 

Kuroko could sense that Akashi wasn't particularly happy to see him or to even talk to him. "I don't mean to pry, but you haven't been yourself," he began monotonously. "You seem angry at me. Are you perhaps jealous?"

Akashi tensed, though he didn't let it plainly show. Jealousy? He had never been jealous before in his life. "I believe you are mistaken, Kuroko. As if I'd be jealous of anyone—" 

"You're jealous of me and Furihata-kun."  

"That is ridiculous." 

"I think you are." Kuroko's voice took on the exasperated tone of one speaking with a spoiled child. "And quite frankly, I feel guilty about it. But there's nothing happening between me and Furihata-kun." 

"Anyone who does not know you would think otherwise if they saw the picture..." Akashi trailed off, a pained expression etched on his face. 

"Picture?" Kuroko gaped at him, then quickly realized what Akashi was referring to. "You mean the Instagram pic Izuki-senpai took?" he questioned, and Akashi's lips thinned to a scowl. "Akashi-kun, it's not like we wanted that to happen. Furihata-kun and I were so tired—"

"Yes, that much I can tell." Akashi's voice was low and controlled, but Kuroko could hear the anger percolating there. "But I have observed details about you two: the fact that you practice together privately, for example, or the times you two went shopping. These observations suggest that—"

"That we are simply friends," Kuroko sighed. "Akashi-kun, you're jealous because you've seen me in close contact with Furihata-kun," he pressed. His blue eyes locked on Akashi with such intensity. 

"Nonsense. It's not like that at all." 

"But it is." Kuroko shrugged, and his lips quirked into a small smile that made his eyes brighten. "As touching as it may be, I assure you there's nothing to be jealous of." 

"And I assure you that you are wrong. I refuse to believe that I—" Akashi stopped when he Kuroko started laughing. "Does my current dilemma amuse you that much, Kuroko?" he asked him, looking displeased. 

Kuroko graced him with his most genuine smile, the kind of smile that was rare on his face. "I really wish you would stop being stubborn about it, Akashi-kun. I've seen the way you looked at me when I get too close to Furihata-kun. Trust me, I know how it feels." 

Akashi could only stare at him in disbelief. He questioned himself, about the way he felt and acted. Memories of Kuroko and Furihata together—times when Akashi saw them hang out and play basketball—began to come, first a trickle, and then a flood, along with the vivid thoughts of Instagram photos and such. He was jolted. He was hurting, he felt insecure, confused, and rattled. He knew he had no reason to feel the slightest bit jealous. Feeling possessive of Furihata was unbecoming of him. 

"You love Furihata-kun, correct?" 

"Without a doubt," Akashi immediately replied. 

"When we have strong feelings for someone, at times we might feel jealous," Kuroko explained sincerely, a somehow sad yet thoughtful smile gracing his lips. "We might feel hurt, scared, or threatened, but it's natural, so there's nothing wrong with feeling jealous—it's how we act on the feeling that matters."

Akashi looked down, contemplating on Kuroko's words. He realized that Kuroko was right. He realized that he had been jealous of Kuroko. He had been jealous of the people surrounding Furihata. He had been jealous of the people who get to see Furihata daily. Every day he wasn't with him, he was finding himself becoming increasingly restless. Furihata was like an oasis to him, and when they weren't together, his body felt like it was going into withdrawals. He ached to touch him, kiss him, even just see him every day of the week. 

"If it's any consolation, Furihata-kun talks about you a lot when we're together," Kuroko said and saw how Akashi's eyes widened slightly. "From what Furihata-kun told me you can rest assured. You two were made for each other and that's all there is to it. Furihata-kun loves you a lot and you love him. You think I'd stand a chance if I ever pursue him? I think not."

Akashi's heart skipped a beat, and then he finally smiled. "Thank you for telling me all this, Kuroko." With that said, he walked past Kuroko and made a beeline to the guest room.

00000

Furihata's cellphone rang in his pocket. He fished it out and smiled when he saw it was Akashi. "Hey," he answered. 

" _Are you still there?_ "

"Yeah, I'm still here by the  _Shinobazu_  pond." Furihata was currently sitting on a blanket under a tree. He and Akashi had laid it out earlier. "Are you here?" He waited for a response, but when none came, he thought maybe the line disconnected. "Sei?" Still nothing. 

All of a sudden, a pair of arms wrapped around him, enclosing him into their embrace. Furihata squeaked in surprise, and the person behind him chuckled. Furihata didn't have to look to see who was holding him. He knew instantly that it was Akashi. 

"What took you?" Furihata asked, laughing, as he put his phone away. Instead of an answer, Akashi tilted his head and claimed his lips with a kiss. 

"The nearest restroom was out of order, so I had to trek to another one. It was quite far." Akashi sighed, releasing the brunette to take a seat beside him. 

"Really? That's such a hassle." 

"Indeed."

Furihata looked over at the pond that stretched off in the distance before them.  _Shinobazu_ _Pond_ was a large natural pond located in Ueno Park, and is one of the many charming oases in Tokyo. There were no other people here, which meant they had this part of the area to themselves. "It's so refreshing here!" He stretched out his arms and lay back. "Thanks for bringing me here, Sei." 

"You're welcome, Kouki." 

They might have gone to a secluded place in the park, but the surroundings were still breathtaking, nature's color brighter than ever. And Furihata liked the quiet. 

"This is so relaxing, I might end up taking a nap." Furihata closed his eyes and breathed out, "You know, I really didn't sleep last night... I know you told me to rest, but I couldn't help it. Kuroko, on the other hand, went right to sleep."

Though the thought of them sleeping together in one room still bothered him, Akashi didn't let it show. "Hmm... So, what were you doing then?" 

"I was thinking..." Furihata covered his eyes with the back of his hand. His heart pounded in his chest, and he could feel his cheeks burning in embarrassment. 

"Thinking of what?" 

"...Of you." 

Akashi felt his heart skip a beat. "You were thinking about me?" 

Furihata's face turned redder than ever when he realized what he said. "O-Of course, I was thinking of you. It's so hard being away from you..." Covering his face with both hands, he rolled over to his side, turning away from Akashi. "I think of you all the time... And when I see Mibuchi-san and Hayama-san post pictures of you, I can't help but say how lucky they are since they get to be around you more..." 

Akashi's heart soared with pride. Kuroko was right all along, and he realized again how ridiculous it was, to be jealous of the life and people around Kouki. "If you'd like I can make arrangements for you to transfer to Rakuzan." 

"What?!" Furihata turned back, looking up at Akashi in panic. "No, don't do that! I mean, sure, it'd be nice if I could be with you every day, but transferring is a bit..." 

Akashi chuckled. "I was only joking." 

Furihata's eyes widened. "You actually...made a joke? Is it going to rain cats and dogs later?" 

"Kouki..." Akashi looked Kouki in the eyes. 

"Ah, s-sorry! I didn't mean to offend you." 

"I love you." Akashi leaned over, kissing him gently. 

Everything felt perfect, and he wanted to convey his feelings with Kouki. He ran his fingers through his hair, then along the nape of his neck. Kouki shivered, pulling Akashi down closer as he ran his tongue softly over Furihata's lips. 

Every nerve in Furihata's body came alive. His stomach knotted in butterflies, and he couldn't seem to think straight anymore. 

The kiss went from tame and innocent to deep and intense, growing more demanding. Akashi groaned into Furihata's mouth, wanting more, and he could feel Furihata's heart drumming against his chest. "I guess I need to be patient until we graduate.," he said against his lips. "I'll be moving to Tokyo for college."

"It's going to be worth the wait," Furihata said, smiling warmly. 

"Kouki, you're worth the wait..." Akashi pulled his hand down to touch the bare skin peeking from beneath Furihata's shirt. His skin was warm and smooth on his palm. Furihata breathed in sharply, but then Akashi kept going farther up. He barely brushed his nipple, teasing him more than anything else, and moved to capture his lips again. 

Furihata whimpered at his words. "Sei, please..." His voice was so soft, it was practically inaudible. 

Akashi pulled away from Furihata's mouth and ran down his neck. "I suppose it's time to stop," he whispered. 

Say something, Furihata thought, but he couldn't seem to connect his brain to his mouth, and his hand grabbed Akashi by the back of the head, keeping him close to him. He didn't want to stop, but it was neither the right time nor place. 

"You're not making this easy." Akashi let out a little laugh before he kissed Furihata's forehead. He ran his fingers over his ribs. An excited shiver teased Furihata's back. "Now then..." Almost reluctantly, he pulled away.

Furihata sighed as he sat up, cheeks still red. "Um, so..." 

"Would you like to rent a boat?" 

Furihata blinked at him. "Eh? But I thought they're closed for maintenance today." 

"I could pull some strings." 

"Perks of being an Akashi, huh?" Furihata's lips quirked into an amused smile. "But no making out, okay? I don't wanna end up drowning in the pond." 

Akashi chuckled once more. "That would be an experience worth sharing online." 

**Author's Note:**

> Jealousy is a foreign concept for Akashi, so he didn't actually know how to deal with it. With that in mind, I felt that Kuroko was the best person to confront him about this, even though he was the primary cause. At the same time, it was the perfect setup for me to show the close friendship Furihata and Kuroko have. Of course, I didn't forget to give our couple some time together as well. 
> 
> So, what did you think of the story? Was it okay? Let me know in the comments below. If you've just discovered these series, be sure to leave kudos and check out the previous ones as well. That's all for now, until next time!


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